


But What About the Most Important Part?

by thehaikubandit



Category: Andromeda (TV), Doctor Who, Firefly, Serenity (2005)
Genre: Nine - Freeform, Ninth Doctor Era, Post-Serenity, Set just after Nine has met Rose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-17
Updated: 2015-08-17
Packaged: 2018-04-15 06:24:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4596270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thehaikubandit/pseuds/thehaikubandit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor goes off to visit some friends when Rose says no to travelling with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	But What About the Most Important Part?

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday to the fantastic Cas! I hope you like your late present!

The Doctor re-entered the TARDIS with what felt like the weight of the universe on his shoulders. He had hoped so much that she would come with him. He liked having someone to travel with. It was always exciting to see what people would decide to do or how they would change, and sometimes you just needed a chat. With Galifrey gone he couldn’t even visit Romana. At this point even a visit from the Master would have helped with his loneliness. But that would have just ended as badly as always, and then he would be alone again. At least the upside to not having a companion was that it was impossible to lose them.

The TARDIS groaned, a sound of twisting metal and pain. He knew that she felt the loneliness as much as he did. Even if they had each other it wasn’t always enough.

 “Well dear,” he said. “If we can’t visit my friends, why don’t we visit yours?” He set the time and swung the lever (he did like this new console, levers were always nice). He trusted her to know where to go. He thought he heard relief in her voice as she moved through the void.

-

 “Is that anyway to greet a friend?” he asked when he opened the door to a gun in his face.

“Perhaps not,” said Tyr. “But it does seem a fitting way to greet a stranger coming out of a box that has just appeared in the middle of the corridor.”

The Doctor winced. “So I’m guessing that this would be my first time then?”

“Tyr put that down!” Dylan came sliding down a ladder and went to give the Doctor a hug before stopping and doing a double take at his face.

“It’s the ears, isn’t it?” asked the Doctor. “They’re just too much to take in.”

“Your ears are fine.” Trance had arrived, “It’s so nice to see you here! I haven’t seen you in a very long time!”

“You know each other?” asked Dylan.

“And so apparently do you,” said Tyr. “Would anyone like to explain why there is a box here, and how it is a good thing?”

“The TARDIS, my ship, was lonely,” said the Doctor. “I thought she might like to visit Andromeda. I didn’t realise I’d be here so early though, I was looking for something a little simpler.”

“Come up to the bridge and I’ll introduce everyone,” said Dylan.

Trance linked her arm around his, “We have so many lovely things to show you,” she said happily. “Dylan has the most beautiful trees.”

The Doctor pulled a face. “Let’s do the people before the plants,” he said. “I may have once worn a vegetable, but I still have some standards.”

After meeting the rest of the crew, or at least letting the rest of the crew meet him, and the forced tour of the greenhouse they all sat down to eat. It was nice; he always loved visiting the Andromeda. She was a much quieter ship post black hole of course, but still full of life and good people. He could feel the TARDIS in his mind like a contented cat. She and the Andromeda were talking on a level only they could understand, but the visit was doing them both good.

Trance walked him back to the TARDIS. “I hope you find a new friend soon,” she said. “You need someone.”

“I know,” he replied. “You don’t fancy a trip do you? Just the one? We could go see your home, or maybe the Amazon? I could deal with the plants in exchange for company.”

“I couldn’t leave now!” Trance said. “It’s just getting interesting around here. And I know what you’re like. I’d have too many trips and then arrive too early or too late. But I know you’ll find someone.”

“I hope so,” he said.

She waved as the TARDIS dematerialised.

-

He arrived at his next destination not to a gun but to laughter. It appeared he had arrived right in the middle a basketball game. Oops. The ball bounced of his head as he poked it through the door.

“That counts!” shouted Kaylee. “I’d have made it if he hadn’t’ve appeared in front of the hoop!”

“If you had gotten it into the box it would’ve,” came Mal’s voice. “But he blocked it, and he’s on my team seeing as we’re playing one down, so too bad.”

“One down?” asked the Doctor

“Zoe went and got herself pregnant,” said Mal. “And River isn’t allowed to play on the grounds that she’d win by herself.”

River had managed to climb the TARDIS and was sitting on the roof and humming to the ship. The Doctor had no doubts she would be a terrifying basketball opponent.

He stayed on Serenity for longer than he meant to, and possibly would have stayed a tiny bit longer were it not for a conversation with Kaylee while they were servicing the engine. She always liked to chat while she worked, whether with someone else or Serenity herself it didn’t matter. The Doctor understood the habit. So he told her about Rose, and the mannequins and his most recent time in London. She stopped her work with a frown when he got to the end.

“But what about the most important part?” she asked.

“What part?” he replied.

“You told her she could go anywhere in the ‘verse, but you forgot the when.”

“Oh,” he said. “I forgot about the...” His voice faded off.

She laughed at him.

“It might be time for you to leave,” she said. “ ’Sides, this ship’s already got herself a mighty fine doctor.”

He said goodbye to the crew with a much lighter heart. He knew that she still might say no, but there was hope. Who could resist a trip in space _and_ time?

River whispered in his ear before he left, her good-bye as cryptic as always.

“Who’s afraid of the big, bad wolf?”


End file.
